Hilary from Hil St Soul is one of the few UK soul singers that are bringing UK new soul to the forefront. Her debut album ‘Organic Soul’ was badly promoted by Dome Records, but now she is rested with a new record contract in the USA, with Randal Grass’ Shanachie, which also has other artists like Laurnea. I found out that Hilary was a really down to earth and lovely person, this is how phone chat went.

Matthew: How do you feel about your new record?
Hil St. Soul: I’m excited obviously. It’s been a long time coming, as it were. I’m looking forward to performing the songs I’ve recorded in the studio. It’s nice to have a copy of your work and being able to share it to the world.

Matthew: Do you feel that there are any changes?
Hil St. Soul: Yes, life is about growing and there’s always the next stage. I’ve experienced things that I may not have experience on the previous releases. I think my voice has improved since ‘Organic Soul’ and my album before my new one, and also lyrically I feel that I have matured. It’s made slightly different too, the first two records had a couple of covers on it but this album is all originals. There’s also a duet that I’ve done with Dwele, which is a new thing. Previously I had collaborations but not an actual feature with someone on a song.

Matthew: What inspires you to do music?
Hil St. Soul: I always say life does. I always try to write songs from the heart. But I could be inspired by something that a friends going through, or I could be out on the street and that could spark an idea. If I could generalize this question it would be life.

Matthew: Who would you like to work with in the future?
Hil St. Soul: I’m a music lover per say, so I’m quite open. There are so many people, Stevie Wonder back in the day, Aretha, some of them are on my wish lists but Kayne West and Lauryn Hill are two modern artists I wouldn’t mind working with.

Matthew: Did your family play apart in your music career?
Hil St. Soul: The only influence I’ve had is my Dad. He has a vast record collection, and that has had a big impact on me.

Matthew: Do you have any views on the current Black music scene?
Hil St. Soul: Comin’ from where I’m from, I just try to do music from the heart. It’s always harder for someone like me, who makes authentic music, because there isn’t much outlet for this type of music. We really need to support our own artists here in the UK, because there’s not many soul artists that you can think of, that get promoted or have mainstream success. People in America have a slightly easier time because they are more in control. Unless you’re already suitable for the pop scene, or doing competitions like XFactor, there isn’t really any space in the UK for independent artists and music.

Matthew: Which artists would you bring back from the dead?
Hil St. Soul: Curtis Mayfield. Curtis is my all time favorite. He represents what’s going on in the world. He’s got 70’s style production but his lyrics are still relatable.

Matthew: Do you ever travel to the USA?
Hil St. Soul: Yes I do, in the last two years, I’ve been out there. I did a lot of promotion and then songwriting. I am planning on going back to the states this summer to do some more promotion, for my new album.

Matthew: What was the last thing that made you cry & smile?
Hil St. Soul: Some of the messages I’ve been getting on myspace, have been really nice. It’s nice to hear from people that admire your music.

Matthew: Would you ever go main stream?
Hil St. Soul: Yes, with every artist, you want to be famous. I’m not a mainstream artist but it would be the icing on the cake.

Matthew: What was the last CD you bought?
Hil St. Soul: Ummm, good question. I don’t buy CD’s too often. I think Anthony Hamilton’s album was the last one.

Matthew: What tips could you give to other independent artists?
Hil St. Soul: Just do what you do, yes, sometimes it is a struggle but I’m a firm believer in that good music will always be supported. Without sounding like a myspace fan, what I’ve found out is that people will actually search for music that hasn’t reached the main stream level. Online is a good way to find out about new artists, going to live music events/gigs is also a good way to find new talent. I don’t really pay much attention to the music that’s in the charts. Firstly I make music that I wanna hear, then let the people discover it.

Matthew: What do you get up to in your spare time?
Hil St. Soul: I like hangin’ out with friends, and family. I’m a bit of a staying home bug, I love watching soaps, so I get up to lots of relaxing things. My sister is into art, so I do a lot of artsy things with her.

Matthew: What are your favorite venues to play in?
Hil St. Soul: That’s a hard one to answer. I don’t really play many gigs. But I do prefer intimate venues like the Jazz Café’, it’s not my favorite venue, but yes I prefer venues were you can get to hear and see the artists.

Matthew: That should be our interview done now, thanks for the time.
Hil St. Soul: Thank-You Matthew, and take care.